Well, dear readers, I got my very first SAG pension check yesterday. That was a wonderful thing except it was supposed to be two checks, not one. I got the February check, but the March check, thanks to the usual efficiency of the USPS was nowhere to be seen. Why SAG sent two separate envelopes is anyone’s guess. Hopefully the second check will arrive today. This is a nice thing, a monthly check for a nice amount that continues until I’ve shuffled off this mortal coil or mortaled off this shuffled coil or done something with a coil. What the HELL is a coil anyway? I know you can shuffle off to Buffalo, but a coil? Coil, of course, is a real Jerry Lewis word.
Yesterday was a perfectly fine day of many parts. I got up late, but only got barely eight hours of sleep. Once up, I answered e-mails, had some telephonic calls of varying lengths, then decided not to go out for lunch. So, I made two tuna sandwiches and ate those all up. Then our very own Nick Redman dropped some stuff by, after which Juliana Hansen and John Boswell arrived for her make-up rehearsal. First she ran her two solos – Get Happy and Any Place I Hang My Hat is Home. Then we ran the duet she does with Eric Petersen, the put-together of It’s Only a Paper Moon and I’ve got the world on a String, and that was that.
Then we had some really wonderful Indiegogo action, which took us from 76% to 81% funded and we’ve still got eight days to go, so I’m hopeful that in the final push days we’re able to fully fund. Spread the word if you can, especially to CD fans – there’s that great Kritzerland CD package that saves a lot of dough plus has free shipping. I may add one or two surprise perks in the last few days – I have some fun things I think people might like and if those help us get where we need to go, that will be a good and glorious thing.
I then did a rough recording of one of my new songs, to get the chart on that going, and I sent Lanny the opening number, so he’s got two to work on now. Then I got a new number from Wayne Moore, one I’d specifically suggested to him, and it’s pretty hilarious. Best of all, I finally got an actual monologue – quite long at six pages – but really lovely – funny and ultimately a little touching, and about something interesting and fun and very LA. The original thought was to have this monologue be a “runner” in the show – you know, in parts, but as I read it I think it’s going to work better in one long thing – if it’s too long it can be shortened a bit, but I wasn’t ever bored reading it. It was written by our very own Doug Haverty, who’s now going to tackle three short monologues that go with one of my songs. So, besides that, I’m still waiting on the Bruce Vilanch sketch, which I’m beginning to think I won’t get until just before rehearsals start, and a couple of more songs. From that I think I can make a show – but if I see we’re light something I’ll either write it or I’ll find someone who can. One of the students owes me a rewritten monologue, too. I’ve also started to structure and order the show. So far I know the first five things of act one, the end of act one, and the two things that will happen late in act two. Baby steps, but it’s good to be on the road with it. I also did a jog at some point.
By the time all that was finished it was already eight-thirty, so no time to finish The Graduate. I went to Gelson’s and bought some shrimp cocktail shrimp, some apples, some carrots and some melon balls for my evening snack. I ate all the shrimp, and a little of everything else. Then I just kept on working until it was time to write these here notes.
Today, a CD dealer is coming at eleven. Prior to that I have to do some banking. After it, we have our final casting session and then I have to figure out who are twelve people will be – we were thinking about fourteen, but that just feels too unwieldy to me and won’t give everyone enough time to shine. I’m happier with twelve, for sure. I do think we’ll end up bringing one male in from the outside, and perhaps one female, too. Won’t know about that until I finalize my choices. After that, I’ll eat, hopefully pick up packages, hopefully get my other pension check, do a jog, work on the LA show, and relax.
Tomorrow we have our second Kritzerland rehearsal, Friday I have a meeting with my set designer, Saturday is our stumble-through, and I’m not sure what Sunday holds. Tuesday we do our show. I’m also hoping to place our book order by Friday – if so, we should have ‘em in two weeks.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do some banking, see a CD dealer, have an audition, eat, hopefully pick up packages, hopefully get my other pension check, work on the LA show, jog, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a fine day of many parts.